Europa East & West Colored Triple Goddess Tattoo by~roguewyndwalker
EASTERN Europe is a mixture of peoples and languages and cultures. Serbs, Croats, Montenegrans, Albanians, Bulgarians, Romanians, Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Italians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Finns and a variety of other Slavic and non-Slavic peoples make their home there. Ethnicities frequently cross over political boundaries and intermingle. Anapel, Little Grandmother Known as "Little Grandmother," this Goddess of the Koryak people of Siberia is Matron of reincarnation. Aspelenie, Hearth Snake Among pre-Christian Lithuanians, Aspelenie was honored as Goddess of Home and Hearth. She took the form of a friendly serpent. The serpent was also considered a servant of the Sun Goddess Saule, and to harm a serpent was a blasphemous offense. While predominantly Christian, there is an active and vocal Pagan resurgence in Lithuania. Ausrine and Saule, Ladies Bright Saule is the Sun Goddess of ancient Lithuania. Ausrine is Her Daughter, the "Lady of the Morning Star." Saule's husband, Ausrine's father, is Meness the God of the Moon. Baba Yaga, Lady Circle Generally known in fairy tales as the prototypical Witch in the Woods (see Hansel and Gretel), Baba Yaga is in fact an ancient Triple Goddess. She manifests the traditional three phases of a woman's life: Maiden, Mother and Crone. Many Russian fairy tales recount Her confrontations with the Czar or Czar's son, perhaps obscured recollections of the long-ago overthrow of the native Goddess. Many fairy tales also center on Her maiden aspect, Vasilisa--who usually ends the story in marriage to the Czar or Czar's son. The Bereginy, Wood Maids The Bereginy, like the Nymphae of Greece and Rome, were spirits of nature. They were honored by women throughout the Slavic regions of Europe even through the Middle Ages. See the Nymphae (Greaco-Roman Goddesses), the Yakshi (Hindu Goddesses) and the Duc Ba (South-East Asian Goddesses). Bozaloshtsh, Lady Who Cries Crying spirits whose scream announces imminent death are common in European mythology: the Banshee of the Irish is the most well-known. Among the ancient Wend of Germany, Bozaloshtsh was just such a spirit.
Dziewanna, Lady of Spring This Polish Goddess was Matron of Spring and Agriculture. She was especially honored by farmers. Haltia, Lady of the Home This Goddess of the Home was honored by Baltic Finns. The Estonians called her Holdja. Her tale contains a cautionary note for those considering a move to a new home....See also Vesta (Graeco-Roman Goddesses). Koliada, Lady of Time Also known as Koljada, this Russian Goddess is the personification of Time and the Winter Solstice. A special festival was held in Her honor at the Solstice. Lada, Spring Maiden Lada, Goddess of Spring and Love, was worshipped throughout Lithuania, Poland and Russia. Spring and love are often placed under the auspices of the same Deity, whether male or female, for obvious reasons: spring is the season of reproduction and new life, often outcomes of love. Mokosh, Lady of Waters This Goddess of Moisture was honored throughout Slavic Europe under a variety of related names. Christian writers as late as the 16th century CE complained that women still honored Mokosh. The Rusalka, Watery Ones The Rusalka were water spirits honored in Russia. Fertility is their special domain. The Rusalka would make excellent champions of Russia's struggling Green Movement. Slatababa, Golden Goddess This tale is told by the Ugric of Russia. It may or may not be based on historical fact. Suksendal, Night Spirit This evil spirit of the night is feared by the Tartar people of Siberia. Perhaps She is abstract fears of darkness and death given concrete, human form. The Zorya, Guardians of the Sun The Zorya are ancient Slavic sky and light Goddesses, honored particularly in Russia.Sometimes only two in number, They are usually portrayed as three, a not uncommon number in world mythology.
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